Course Syllabus - Bradcopp.com

GR301 Beginning NT Greek I
Eugene Bible College
Fall 2008
Mon., Tues., Wed., and Fri., 3:00-3:50pm
Instructor: Brad Copp, bradcopp@ebc.edu , (541)510-4768
Office hours in the Doris Hunt Music Building.
College Mission Statement:
The mission of Eugene Bible College is to glorify God through Biblically based college education
that disciples and equips servants of Jesus Christ to become life-long learners who offer effective
and relevant Spirit-filled ministry and leadership in the Church and the world.
College Academic Outcomes
The College academic programs exist to encourage and facilitate students in the development of:
• Leadership potential and effectiveness
• Mental discipline and intellectual capacity that will shape and guide their life and work
• Tools and attitudes conducive to Spirit-filled ministry
• Effective communication tools for life and ministry
• Awareness of the world in which evangelism and ministry will occur
• Clarity regarding the philosophical foundations of ministry
Bible Theology Division Objectives
Students fulfilling the course requirements in Bible and Theology should achieve the following:
• Gain a basic understanding of the content and nature of the Old and New Testaments
• Ability to apply Bible study skills to better understand and interpret the Bible
• Ability to articulate a Biblical position in major areas of theology
• Ability to reason clearly and Biblically about the Christian faith
• Integrate Biblical study with personal spiritual growth and effective ministry
Course Rationale
Psalm 19:7-11
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are
trustworthy, making wise the simple. 8 The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the
heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. 9 The fear of the LORD is
pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. 10 They
are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from
the comb. 11 By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
Psalm 119:43,47,48-48, 92, 95, 97-99, 103, 105, 160 43 Do not snatch the word of truth from my
mouth, for I have put my hope in your laws… 47 for I delight in your commands because I love
them. 48 I lift up my hands to your commands, which I love, and I meditate on your decrees… 92 If
your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction... 95 The wicked are
waiting to destroy me, but I will ponder your statutes… 97 Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it
all day long. 98 Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me. 99 I
have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes… 103 How sweet are your
words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!… 105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a
light for my path… 160 All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.
Ezra 7:10 10 For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD,
and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel. See Neh. Ch. 8
John 5:39
39 You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess
eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me,

1 Timothy 4:13-16 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to
preaching and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic
message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. 15 Be diligent in these matters; give
yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16 Watch your life and doctrine
closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
2 Timothy 2:15 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does
not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
"Pastors who do not know Greek are forced to borrow their ideas from others. They are slaves to
the commentators, but have no means to check their accuracy. The best tools of interpretation are
beyond their reach." -David Black
"The more a theologian detaches himself from the basic Hebrew and Greek text of Holy Scripture,
the more he detaches himself from the source of real theology And real theology is the
foundation of a fruitful and blessed ministry." -Heinrich Bitzer,
"If the languages had not made me positive as to the true meaning of the word, I might have still
remained a chained monk, engaged in quietly preaching Romish errors in the obscurity of a
cloister; the pope, the sophists, and their anti-Christian empire would have remained unshaken." -
Martin Luther
"Without languages we could not have received the Gospel. Languages are the scabbard that
contains the sword of the Spirit; they are the casket which contains the priceless jewels of antique
thought; they are the vessel that holds the wine; and as the gospel says, they are the baskets in
which the loaves and fishes are kept to feed the multitude.
If we neglect the literature we shall eventually lose the gospel….No sooner did men cease to
cultivate the languages than Christendom declined, even until it fell under the undisputed
dominion of the pope. But no sooner was this torch relighted, than this papal owl fled with a
shriek into congenial gloom….In former times the fathers were frequently mistaken, because they
were ignorant of the languages and in our days there are some who, like the Waldenses, do not
think the languages of any use; but although their doctrine is good, they have often erred in the
real meaning of the sacred text; they are without arms against error, and I fear much that their
faith will not remain pure." – Martin Luther
"As dear as the gospel is to us all, let us as hard contend with its language." Martin Luther
"A guide to souls ought to know the literal meaning of every word, verse, and chapter in Scripture,
without which there can be no firm foundation on which the spiritual meaning can be built...Can
he do this in the most effectual manner, without a knowledge of the original languages Without
this will he not frequently be at a stand, even as to texts which regard practice only But will he
be still under greater difficulties with respect to converted Scriptures. He will not be able to
rescue these out of the hands of any man of learning that would pervert them: for whenever an
appeal is made to the original [language], his mouth is stopped at once." -John Wesley
“Once John Wesley received a note from a self-appointed evangelist telling him, ‘The Lord has
told me to tell you that He doesn't need your book learning, your Greek and Hebrew.’ Wesley
replied, ‘Thank you, Sir. Your letter was superfluous, however, as I already knew the Lord has no
need of my 'book learning' as you put it. However, although the Lord has not directed me to say
so, on my own responsibility I would like to say, the Lord does not need your ignorance either.’" -
source unknown
“It should go without saying that if a professor in biblical studies is unable to deal with technical
linguistic arguments in a class because most of the students have not taken Greek and Hebrew, the
level of instruction necessarily drops. Moreover, the important education that takes place as
students converse with one another also plummets several notches. The natural tendency to
gravitate toward ‘relevancy’ and pragmatism can do nothing but flourish in such an environment.
And the end result is an increase in the poisonous anti-intellectualism that has already taken its toll
in the evangelical church.” - Moises Silva

Course Objectives:
Upon completing this course, the student should be able to:
1. Develop a working knowledge of Greek morphology, grammar, and basic syntax.
2. Define over 100 Greek vocabulary words.
3. Understand and recognize five Greek cases.
4. Translate selected Greek sentences.
5. Have gained an appreciation for how knowledge of the Greek language can be a valuable
help to Bible study.
6. Apply insights gained from study of the NT in Greek to life and ministry
Course Description:
An initial study of the rudiments of koine Greek including pronunciation, phonology, word
formation, and grammar and syntax. Simple selected sentences in the Greek New Testament will
be translated.
Textbooks and Suggested Readings:
Textbooks
Goodrich, Richard J. and Albert Lukaszewski eds., A Reader’s Greek New Testament- 2 nd
ed., Grand Rapids, Zondervan, 2007.
Mounce, William D., Basics of Biblical Greek- Grammar 2 nd ed., Grand Rapids, Zondervan,
2003.
Mounce, William D., Basics of Biblical Greek- Workbood 2 nd ed., Grand Rapids, Zondervan,
2003.
Suggested Readings
Black, David Alan, Linguistics for Students of New Testament Greek, Grand Rapids, Baker,
1988.
-----, Using New Testament Greek in Ministry, Grand Rapids, Baker, 1993.
-----, It’s Still Greek to Me, Grand Rapids, Baker, 1998.
Greenlee, Harold, A Concise Exegetical Grammar of New Testament Greek, Grand Rapids,
Eerdmans, 1986.
Lamerson, Samuel, English Grammar to ACE New Testament Greek, Grand Rapids,
Zondervan. 2004.
Metzger, Bruce, Lexical Aids for Students of New Testament Greek, Princeton, Theological
Book Agency, 1989.
Sizler, Peter James, and Thomas Findley, How Biblical Languages Work, Grand Rapids,
Kregel, 2004.

Course Requirements:
1. Class Participation- Student is to be present, and to participate in all classroom
discussion and activities
2. Textbook Reading- Student is to read the assigned sections of the course
Textbook before the assigned class session.
3. Workbook Exercises- Student is to complete the assigned workbook exercises
before the assigned class session.
4. Vocabulary/Grammar Cards- Student is to hand make flash cards for all the
vocabulary words and grammar paradigms. The purpose for this assignment is to
take advantage of the learning/memorization benefit of connecting eye and brain
with your hand. Therefore, using commercially purchased or computer generated
flash cards will not fulfill this assignment.
5. Vocabulary Quizzes- Student will take regular quizzes in which they will
translate assigned Greek words into English.
6. Grammar/Translation Quizzes- Student will take regular grammar/translation
quizzes in which they will recognize, describe, parse/and or translate various
aspects of New Testament Greek.
7. Translation Exercises- Student will put their Greek knowledge into practice by
translating short sections of Greek text into English.
8. Sectional Exams- There will be three sectional exams which will cover all of the
material up to that point in the term (material covered in the first exam will be fair
game for the second and third). The exams will cover vocabulary,
grammar/parsing, and translation.
Course Evaluation
Class Participation 5%
Workbook Exercises 10%
Vocabulary/Grammar Flashcards 10%
Vocabulary Quizzes 10%
Grammar/Translation Quizzes 10%
Translation Exercises 10%
Sectional Exams 15% ea 45%
100%

Course Schedule
Date Mon. Tues. Wed. Fri.
Wk. 1
Sept.
22-26
Wk. 2
Sept.29
-Oct. 3
Wk. 3
Oct.
6-10
Wk. 4
Oct.
13-17
Wk. 5
Oct.
20-24
Wk. 6
Oct.
27-31
Wk. 7
Nov.
3-7
Wk. 8
Nov.
10-14
Wk. 9
Nov.
17-21
Wk. 10
Nov.
24-28
Wk. 11
Dec.
1-5
Registration
No Class
Introduction,
Syllabus
BBG chs. 1-3 WB. Ex. 3 BBG ch. 4 WB. Ex. 4,
Review #1
BBG chs. 5-6 Alphabet Quiz WB. Ex. 6 Vocab. Quiz 4
BBG ch. 7
Sectional Exam
Case Endings
Quiz
Case Endings
Quiz
Community
Service Day
NO CLASS
Preposition Quiz WB. Ex. 9
Review #2
Sectional Exam
Final Exam, Tuesday Dec. 9, 3:00 pm
WB. Ex. 7 Vocab. Quiz 6
BBG ch. 8 Vocab. Quiz 7
WB. Ex 8 Vocab. Quiz 8 BBG ch. 9
Spiritual
Growth
Conference
NO CLASS
Vocab. Quiz 9
Spiritual
Growth
Conference
NO CLASS
Thanksgiving
Break
NO CLASS

EBC Absence Policy:
Regular punctual attendance is required in all classes and assembly periods. Students should not miss
classes except for illness or unavoidable emergency situations. To accommodate such cases, a
student may have one absence for each credit hour of the course without penalty. However, if
absences for any class exceed twice the number of credit hours, the student automatically fails the
class.
A student entering the class within fifteen minutes after attendance check is recorded as tardy. Every
three tardy entries are counted as one absence. Work situations and other campus schedules must
be held as secondary to class attendance. Students are not permitted to arrive late for class or
leave early to accommodate other schedules.
A student will not be penalized by grade reduction when absences have prior approval by the
administration and the student has given prior written notification to instructors; however, total
absences in any course (including those excused) can not exceed two times the number of credit
hours represented by that course (e.g. 6 in a 3-hour course) without failure.
Class Policies
In order to be fair to all students, to organize my workweek, and to be prompt with marking, the
following policies will be adhered to. It is also an important aspect of preparation for life after EBC
that students should learn to plan and use their time effectively so as to meet deadlines, and learn also
to work within the parameters set for assignments.
• All assignments must be submitted at the beginning of class on the date they are due. If class will
be missed because of illness, assignments may be submitted via e-mail before scheduled class
time. Any assignment not submitted at the requested time will be considered late.
• Late work will receive a deduction of 10% per day late (excluding weekends) up to 50%
deduction. You may submit a late assignment either in class, via e-mail or via the receptionist.
• Extensions for late work may be given for a short period when circumstances arise which in my
view could not reasonably have been foreseen and which are sufficiently serious to warrant an
exception to the rule.
• All work must be neat and legible.
• All assignments must be your own work. Work sharing and plagiarism are not acceptable.
• Because of the limited number of exegesis tools in the library, I ask that you be considerate of
others and not monopolize the resources. I would also ask that dorm students give priority to off
campus students or those with more limited schedules.
• I expect all students to think critically and be willing to disagree with the texts, teacher, or each
other. I am confident that all of you will do so in manner fitting upper-division students and future
ministers.

Helpful Information
• Your best resource for this course is the people around you. The instructor is willing and available
to help you as much as my very busy schedule will allow. Please see the sign up sheet on my
office door (in the Doris Hunt Music Center) for available office hours. However, your peers are
an invaluable source of insight. And you will be wise to share with other students outside of class
and help each other explore and develop, meditate upon and apply the concepts of this course.
• I cannot read minds. If you don’t understand something or are struggling, I want to help. But in
many cases I won’t become aware of the problem until it is too late. Please feel encouraged to
take the initiative and approach me with questions or problems and I will do my best to help.
• In addition, I will put course material including study guides, reviews, and practice quizzes on my
website. Go to my homepage and follow the appropriate link. The address is
www.bradcopp.com. The class pages are password protected. Use the username ‘GR301’ and
the password ‘kalos’ (without quotation marks). Please check back often as the website will be
updated on a regular basis.
• Don’t let yourself become discouraged with the amount of information for memorization. Don’t
try to memorize everything at once, but rather in smaller chunks. The goal of this class is not
memorizing paradigms and vocabulary, but reading the New Testament. Therefore, encourage
yourself by working with the NT text itself, not just exercises.
• Finally, do not lose God in the process of education. Take advantage of the College Student
Ministry and Discipleship. Take time to interact with Jesus about every part of your life.
Specifically, invite the Lord to teach and lead you in the course material. The Bible was written as
a record of God’s work in His people, it comes from a life of prayer, worship, devotion and
walking out God’s rule in everyday life. It would be a tragedy and violation of this book if you
treated this course as only an intellectual exercise. I also hope that you learn to rely on Him for
the strength to learn and grow and fulfill all of the expectations placed on you at EBC. “Do not
pray for easy lives; pray to be stronger people! Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers; pray
for powers equal to your tasks. Then the doing of your work shall be no miracle, but you shall be
a miracle. Every day you shall wonder at yourself, at the richness of life which has come to you
by the grace of God.” Phillips Brooks.